Butcher bids 11,500gns for Limousin stock bull

By Jeremy Hunt

A RETAIL butcher who bought his three foundation cows last autumn paid the top price of 11,500gns for his first stock bull at the Limousin Cattle Societys spring show and sale at Carlisle last week.

Jimmy Mulholland, whose family have been butchers in the village of Great Orton near Carlisle for over 30 years, was determined to buy J T and J Nattress and Sons Greenwell Ludo even before the 19-month-old bull swept to victory as champion in a high-class parade.

"I made up my mind to buy him as soon as I saw him on the Nattress familys farm in Co Durham a fortnight ago. He is an outstanding bull and deserved to win the title, even though his victory clearly pushed up the price," said Mr Mulholland who has just three pedigree cows in his Liscon herd along with several three-quarter-bred sucklers.

Ludo weighed 742kg at 500 days – 95kg above average – with a 1.4kg daily gain from birth. He is by the Nattresss imported sire Igolo, a bull fast making a name for himself.

The herd also took the reserve junior title with Greenwell Lord, a Daim son, that sold for 4000gns to L Lawrie Raine and Sons, Barnard Castle.

In the wake of the outstanding trade at Perth, this fixture saw the strong demand continuing. The 59 intermediate bulls averaged £3353 (up £312 on the year) and the overall average of £2967 for 147 bulls sold was up £85.

There was gilt-edge trading for bulls from 19-year-old Matthew Jones from Brecon. He sold two bulls at 8500gns – Bailea Logica taken by R A Walker, Appleby followed by Bailea Leyton to G &#42 and J Wallis, Richmond, North Yorks.

Bailea Laser went to C A Smith, Banchory at 7500gns; Bailea Lammtarra made 5500gns to W Young and Sons, Ochiltree, Ayrshire; and Bailea Lasmo was claimed by Nilston Rigg Farms, Hexham at 5200gns. All were sired by his influential stock bull Greensons Gigolo which has an EBV of 62.

The Heros son, Cloughhead Lord, from George Hutton, Keswick, took a second placing under judge Mr F Murray, Wooler, Northumberland, and drew the days joint second highest bid of 8500gns from A F and R Cruickshank, Strathaven.

Other 7500gns transactions included two sons of Broadmeadows Cannon: Ronick Leader from R Dick, Stirling was taken by W and T Nelson, Ballantrae, Ayrshire; and Wheatsheaf Laird from R W Strong, Appleby was bought by A J Hazard and Sons, Grantham after standing junior champion.

Messrs Ridley, Hesket Newmarket, Cumbria offered a bought-in bull, Griseburn Legend. This Rake Fergus son out of a Talent cow led his class and made 7000gns to A and M Struthers, Carluke.

And Messrs Ridley reinvested some of their takings along with Jim McKerrow, Linlithgow to jointly pay 6200gns for Shropshire breeders Don Williamss Wilodge Ladbroke, by the Cannon son Brontemoor Ilkley.

The reserve championship went to Stephen Illingworths Glenrock Limerick, a Crownhead Busby son with a 500-day-weight of 760kg – 113kg above average. He went into Border country with J Dunn and Partner, Heriot.